Painting and markings
of Swedish military aircraft
Since the beginning in 1912, up to the present time
- a brief overview

Current

Gripen

The first Gripens had black radomes, black wing numerals and dayglo individual numbers.

Soon, the nose also got to be grey, and the colour delineations changed slightly.

The pale low-viz blue/yellow insignias seems to have been a one-off test.

As yet, there are rather few two-seaters, so there's both this example where it's got a code in the 70+ number series, and one where it's got a three figure code, the same as the last three in the c/n.

Starting with the first batch two Gripen in 1996, they have been painted with low-viz dark grey national insignias. It can be noted that the grey markings painted on the darker and lighter grey parts of the fuselage are not of the same colour, this in order to make the contrast against the background the same.
Shortly thereafter, in 1997, it was decided that the wing numeral no longer would be painted, instead the tactical letter code, also part of the radio call sign, for the wing would be painted on the top of the fin. F 7 = G (the 7:th letter in the alphabet).

Starting in 1999, the first Gripen batch will be repainted with a more environmentally friendly paint and lose the black radome.

Photo by Viktor Bodin, F 7, June 2000

From 2000, they will get the new three numeral fin codes, which are the same as the last three figures in the aircraft's serial number (a practice which was introduced with the first two seaters), and as all of them will thus have different numbers, they will not have any squadron or wing numbers or letters painted on.

Viggen

Viggens were initially delivered unpainted. Later on, they were progressively camouflage painted with light blue-grey undersides and black/green/dark green/tan oversides (also the JA 37 fighter version). At first, they then retained the wing numeral behind the insignia, but already by 1975 they had started to get a smaller one in front of the insignia.

After some time, it was decided that as the JA 37 Viggen didn't spend as much time as the other versions at low levels, it was to have a more functional camouflage scheme, and a two tone grey was chosen. At first, they were painted with black numerals.
Smaller national insignias were introduced for all versions. For better visibility, numerals in red day-glo were introduced, and in addition to that the grey fighter version got it's individual number painted in large figures, one on each wing (which also servers as a friend or foe marking during training).

Photo by Viktor Bodin, F 7, June 2000

In 2000 there first appeared one AJSF 37 from F 21 painted in the same grey colours (I think?) as Gripen.

Hercules

When new, the Herculeses were marked in the standard way, with wing numeral and a code in the normal sequence for "other types" and painted olive green and light blue grey.

Later on, tranports were to have individual three figure codes, consisting of the designation + a figure. For Herculeses, designated TP 84 that became 84X (for types with designations >99 it's 0XX).

Current scheme is all over support aircraft green and smaller black numerals.

Starting with the first in 1999 and finishing with the last in 2003, all eight will be painted a two tone grey scheme, consisting of Camouflage Grey, with insignias (710 mm diameter), numerals (600 mm high on the fuselage, 630 mm on the fin) and text (Times New Roman) in Dark Sea Grey. The flag is 800x500 mm.

F 7 news, with photos of the first grey Hercules (done in Medium Sea Grey).

Bulldog

At first, the air force Bulldogs were painted the same blue/green camouflage Draken had, and the army version in a part-wrap around black/green/dark green/tan camouflage (undersides of wings bluegrey).

From the mid 1990's, the Bulldogs have gotten the all over gloss olive green of support aircraft.

Further information

Leif Hellström and Leif Fredin have written a very good and comprehensive book named Kronmärkt, which is recommended even if you don't read Swedish, both because it's clear, well researched, extensively illustrated and has a summary in English. Publisher is Allt om hobby, ISBN 91-7243-003-6.

Swedish military aircraft markings 1912-

Document created 1999 May 07, last updated 2000 Aug 10 by Urban

Photos used in this document are either by myself, Bernt Törnell, Viktor Bodin or by various photographers and provided by Saab.

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